Happy 4th of July, to all you Americans out there. While I try not to be too
serious very often, it's important that those of us who are free appreciate
and remember the lives of those who died so we could be free.

People from around the world have traveled to the United States to enjoy
the liberties we often take for granted. Imagine how boring comedians would
be if they couldn't make poke fun at President Clinton. And while we all
complain about taxes (including myself), remember that under some forms
of communistic rule, you're taxed 100% of your earnings. Suddenly, 30%
doesn't sound so bad.

To those of you around the world that were wishing you had the freedoms Americans
don't give a second thought about: hang in there, and enjoy RPGs if you can!

Q:
So, AK, #1, do you believe RPGs should be targeted at an adult
audience, a teen audience, a child audience, any combination, or hihgly
intellectually advanced pachyderms?
And, #2, just what do you do other than answer questions? (#3?) Or are
you nothing more than the almighty RPGuru?
-Chinju =:>
P.S. Why don't you print post-scripts, anyway?

AK:
RPGs shouldn't be limited to just one age group, Chinju. You should know that!
Games like Super Mario RPG are well suited for the younger lads and lassies, while
I feel Final Fantasies should be targeted at the teen audience, yet appropriate
for younger audiences as well. While I wouldn't recommend most RPGs to young kids,
simply because of the boredom factor, many out there find them much more fun
than beating people up in Tekken 3.
What do I do other than answer questions? Nothing! RPGs are life!
Just kidding, of course. I keep myself busy. I work part-time for the YMCA during
most of the year, and I was working full-time for the first month and a half of
the summer (I'm looking around for another full-time job for the rest of the summer,
my wallet is looking depressingly empty, except for an over-abundance of
frequent-buyer CD cards). I love sports with a passion, so I work out and
play basketball almost daily. And as is often apparent in this column, I love
music, especially the magical tunes and tones of R.E.M. I'm spending a lot of time
learning the guitar on my electric bass guitar, electric guitar, and acoustic guitar.
Not showing many signs of talent yet, but I'm not giving up just yet! I'm also
a student; I'll be attending Southern Methodist University starting next month
after a nice break from school.
Oh yeah, I also like, do stuff with friends, and oh yeah, I almost forgot! I
play video games every now and then.
P.S.: They take up too much space. Wait... I just wrote that mini-novel, and I'm
complaining about space? Hmm...

Q:
What's up Andrew? How's life? Anyways, why hasn't there been jack on the
new Final Fantasy movie? Nobody seems to care anymore! There isn't even
any pictures or anything! Has Square abandoned it? Say it ain't so...
Masumo

AK:
Hey Masumo, not much up here man, life's good, thanks for asking! Don't worry about
the FF Movie, it's still in the works. It's being worked on at Square Honolulu,
it's just that progress is slow because of the detail going into the CG-based
movie. "Has Square abonded it? Say it ain't so..." It ain't so.

Q:
Do you know if squaresoft plans on releasing Final Fantasy 1-6 for
playstation or computer?

AK:
Final Fantasy IV, V, and VI are being re-released in Japan, individually,
for the Playstation, but they won't be ported over here. Eidos is
translating FFV for the PC, though, although no release date has been
announced.

Q:
AndyK,
Does it annoy you at all that people are always asking the same
questions over and over? "Are you related to Andy Kaufman, the guy
from Taxi?" "Is there any way to get Aeris back?" And those repeated
attempts to come up with the Ultimate Question to the Ultimate
Answer... Everybody knows that you can't know the Question AND Answer
for the same Universe. Just read the last chapters of Life, The
Universe, and Everything, and our good truth-drugged amigo Prak
explains this in greater detail. Please, encourage your readers to
browse the archives to make sure their question hasn't been asked and
answered already.
Steve

AK:
Stevie, you've read my mind, pal. You said it all. I answer those
repeat questions still because I get them in such abundance, I figure
people must still be confused, so I keep answering. Remember folks,
read the archives! And don't do drugs!

Q:
Andrew, Andrew, Andrew! I don't know what to do! It's 2 AM, and I'm still
up, and I can't sleep! I've been plagued by horrible, haunting
dreams...all fueled by my times at the helm of Q&AK. What's worse, people
have been writing to me in droves, demanding I either eject you violently
from your article, co-host it, or start a new one. What do I do, how do I
make the voices go away?
-Brian Glick

When I was young and full of grace; and spirited: a rattlenake.
When I was young, a fever fell. My spirit? I will not tell.
You're on your honor not to tell.
I believe in coyotes, and time as an abstract.
Can you explain the change, the difference between what you want and what you need?

There's a key! Your adventure for the day, what you do between the horns of the day.
I believe! My shirt is wearing thin and CHANGE is what I believed when...

I was young, and give and take, a fool said my fool awaits.
When I was young, a fever fell. My spirit? I will not tell.
You're on your honor, on your honor.
Trust in your calling, but make sure your calling's true.
Think of others! The others think of you.

Silly rule: golden words make practice; practice makes perfect; perfect is a fault,
and faultlines change!
I believe! My humor's wearing thin and change is what I believe in.
I believe! My shirt is wearing thin and change is what I believe when...

I was young and full of grace; and spirited: a rattlenake.
When I was young, a fever fell. My spirit? I will not tell.
You're on your honor, on your honor.
I believe in example; I believe my throat hurts, example is the checker to the key!
I believe! My humor's wearing thin and I believe the poles are shifting.
I believe! My shirt is wearing thin and change is what I believe in.

I didn't write that song, naturally. It's R.E.M.'s "I Believe." But it's rather
fitting, in an oh-so-cryptic way. I love it! Everyone chew on that one for a
bit. Brian, I bet you were expecting a nice, sane, terse reply, eh? Hehehe,
you wish baby!

Q:
Hey Andy,
In my ceaseless quest to make you a perfect gamer, I must nag you
about stupid things like this (just kidding). But it was right up my
alley, so I couldn't resist.
"The new game + option becomes available after you defeat Lavos...."
This isn't nessasarily true. to get new game +, you must complete all
the side quests, _and_ defeat Lavos. That's the little hook they give to
access such a powerful (and usefull) option.
Wind to thy wings, buddy
---F'nor "Blackjack" Benden

AK:
And I thought Locke Cole was a cool name! That doesn't hold a candle to yours,
man. Anyway, yeah, I biffed up on the Chrono Trigger bit, you're right. I
really like the option though, quite handy to make replays a lot less listless.